Remixing traditional lessons with tech: a framework you can use. Trying to “tech up” our old lessons may not have the impact we hope. But we can use traditional lessons to inspire new teaching. Here’s a way. Many times, it doesn’t change the overall learning experience much — and sometimes detracts from it.

To really get the most out of our technology — using it to kick learning up to another level — we need to start from the bottom up. Our traditional lessons can be the inspiration for an instructional remix, though.

How to ditch your muffin top: From good posture to more sleep - 7 essential tips to tone up your midriff Nutritionist Sarah Flower explains why it is so hard to get. Gray first appears when Natsu and Happy bring Lucy Heartfilia to Fairy Tail. He is sitting in his shorts, having forgotten to wear his clothes, and immediately gets. Ditch That Textbook is written by Matt Miller, a high school Spanish teacher in West Central Indiana. After trying to do the traditional "teach by the textbook" for a.

You know, it’s like when a musician takes a popular song and puts his own spin on it. Remixing lessons? And we should. Austin Kleon says it well in his book, Steal Like an Artist: The writer Jonathan Lethem has said that when people call something “original,” nine out of ten times they just don’t know the references or the original sources involved. What a good artist understands is that nothing comes from nowhere. All creative work builds on what came before.

Nothing is completely original. The Madeline Hunter Lesson Plan remix. I was introduced to a new twist on an old way of planning lessons this weekend at CUE BOLD, billed as “The Premiere Lesson Design Event for the West Coast.”The idea: let’s build lessons that utilize technology through the framework of the Madeline Hunter Lesson Plan.

Click for full- sized image. Feel free to use and share with credit. In this conference, presenters designed fully- developed lessons with the Hunter framework above, using technology to enhance the student experience. They presented those to attendees. There were more than 3. ALL of their slide decks are at the end of this post.

In other sessions, a panel of three presenters would work hand- in- hand with attendees to design a lesson on the spot during the session. An example lesson: Virtual Cultural Exchange. In one of my sessions, I mapped out how a virtual cultural exchange might look.

In it, two classes would connect via video calls and other modes of collaboration to share what life is like in their world. Here’s the whole presentation. If you open the Google Slides file in a new tab or window, you’ll be able to view the speaker notes, which give further instructions on how to actually do this lesson: Now, let’s dive into a few parts of this lesson . I’ve written about why we need more Mystery Skypes in schools and 1.

Skype calls in the classroom. Other video call tools like Google Hangouts, Face. Time, Zoom and Blue Jeans work just fine, too.)Create an intriguing video with Adobe Spark about the intricacies and oddities of the new culture. They incorporate videos, text and music . Create one for students to watch or let students create their own.

Now, students need knowledge and skills! Here are some ways they can find them: Do simple Google and Wikipedia searching for basic facts. People who work with humanitarian organizations or news organizations will likely be able to speak to students about U. S. Students need some time to reflect on what they’ve learned and think about why it’s important. Have students display work they’ve created during the lesson on their devices (laptops, Chromebooks, i. Pads, etc.). An idea: Set each device on a desk, and have students walk around to each other’s desks/devices to look. Play a long- distance Kahoot!

Let students come up with questions about what they’ve learned. Create a Kahoot! This blog post talks about how it can be done. Schedule a group call between both classes to debrief.

Lots of other example lessons. At the CUE BOLD conference, presenters shared their own Hunter- inspired lesson remixes and made their slide decks available.

Click here to access all of them. There are more than 3. Act Math. Hyperdocs. Visible Thinking.

Read- alouds. Iron- Chef Storytelling. Better Book Reports. Differentiation with STEAMInquiry with S. Q. U. I. D. D. In the end, as we try to make sense of the tech- infused classroom, we have to keep one important point in mind.

We can’t keep teaching the same old way and just plug technology in. We have to change the way that we teach. And sometimes, a new twist on an old idea can give us the spark of inspiration that we need. For notifications of new Ditch That Textbook content and helpful links: Interested in having Matt present at your event or school? Contact him by e- mail! Matt is scheduled to present at the following upcoming events: Date. Event / Event Details.

City / More Info+0. Williams Elementary. Magnolia, TX  Private Event+0.

Indiana State Reading Association. Noblesville, IN Venue: Noblesville High School 1.

Cumberland Road. Noblesville, INPublic Event+1.

Reasons to Not Use Social Media When Traveling. It's the addiction we pull from underneath our pillows in the morning and the same bright screen that we crawl into bed with every night. It's the urge to post photographic evidence of every vibrant acai bowl you encounter (even though you really wanted that croissant that ruins your monochromatic feed).

It's the drive that pulls you into heated political discussions on Facebook with Aunt Martha and subsequently ruins Thanksgiving. It's the calling to eagerly peruse Snapchat for new filters — because what is life if you aren't a rabbit in the .

If you're taking precious vacation days for your long- deserved global escape, don't dare carry Kylie Jenner's latest Snaps with you. Be the one who enjoys the ultimate modern travel luxury: enjoying vacation fully sans social media impulses. Treat Vacation as Social Detox From Day One. If your job involves looking at a computer screen ad nauseam daily, you need to detox. Rejuvenate yourself mentally by retraining your body.

Look at the sunrise in the morning, not the bright screen of your i. Phone. Enjoy culinary goodness without needing to justify its nutritional greatness on Instagram. Enjoy adrenaline- inducing moments without sharing it on your Story. Learn to be present for yourself, not the entertainment of others. Set an OOO on Email (Sans .

Don't be the person who answers emails before going scuba diving with whale sharks — it's not impressive, and if anything it shows you have no concept of work- life balance. Socially Humblebrag on Your Ability to Disconnect. If you have family, friends, or loyal strangers in 3. Social expectations are dropped, and perhaps you just inspired someone to finally do the same. Bring a Real Camera and Leave Your Phone Behind. Leave your smartphone in the hotel room and bring a real camera with you on your adventures.

This will encourage you to capture the journey without the immediate need to share it with the world. A camera is an intimate, patient, and wonderful companion to any trip; your smartphone, however, is the needy companion that always has to use the bathroom every five minutes. Include Yoga in Your Vacation.

The most effective way to retrain your mind is to connect it once again with your body — that's where Child's Pose comes into play. Yoga is one of the most accessible classes to take anywhere in the world, so plan a couple sessions in your itinerary or master your favorite poses before jetting off. Call (Not Text) a Friend and Let Them Know How Vacation Is Going.

The art of phone calls is somewhat lost on our SMS- obsessed generation, but if you are missing your best friend and need to tell them about your adventurous day in paradise, call them instead of allowing them to find out via the same photos you send to the whole world. Remind yourself what it means to do things on a personal level. Appreciate the Beauty in Your OWN Life. It's so easy to get caught up in the lives, feeds, and social media existence of others that you often overlook the beauty of your own present moment. Once you accept that life has no filter and the most valuable experiences are the ones that can't be conveyed on Instagram, that's the moment you'll stop comparing your life to others and realize your vacation is the only one worthy of travel envy. Cherish the Art of Privacy. We broke up with privacy when we signed up for Facebook in high school.

Whether you're on vacation for a long weekend or a month- long sabbatical, revisit the art of privacy and cherish travel moments, whether solo or shared, without seeking social acknowledgment (. Use the 1. 5- Minute Rule. If going cold turkey isn't an option and you know the . Indulge in one short fix in the a. Not more, not less. Think of Ways to Scale Back Social Media Post- Vacation.

We love social media, and let's face it, our affair with it is for life. Still, before heading home, think of a few ways you can scale it back and dedicate more time to activities on your to- do list — read more, finally try that kickboxing class, or pick up a new language. If we took away 3.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Bonnie Burke. Simon Hason Design Weapon Hacked Flash there.